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She had soon afterwards reason to believe that the beginning was already h she had _told_ no fortune, ht after the alarnedly E of it at the moment, which made the information she received more valuable She merely said, in the course of some trivial chat, "Well, Harriet, whenever you ht no more of it, till after a minute's silence she heard Harriet say in a very serious tone, "I shall never marry"

Emma then looked up, and immediately saas; and after a moment's debate, as to whether it should pass unnoticed or not, replied, "Never marry!--This is a new resolution"

"It is one that I shall never change, however"

After another short hesitation, "I hope it does not proceed from--I hope it is not in complinantly--"Oh! no"--and Emma could just catch the words, "so superior to Mr Elton!"

She then took a longer time for consideration Should she proceed no farther?--should she let it pass, and seeht think her cold or angry if she did; or perhaps if she were totally silent, ither to hear toolike such an unreserve as had been, such an open and frequent discussion of hopes and chances, she was perfectly resolved-- She believed it would be wiser for her to say and know at once, all that shewas always best She had previously determined how far she would proceed, on any application of the sort; and it would be safer for both, to have the judicious law of her own brain laid doith speed-- She was decided, and thus spoke-"Harriet, I will not affect to be in doubt of yourYour resolution, or rather your expectation of never ht prefer, would be too greatly your superior in situation to think of you Is not it so?"

"Oh! Miss Woodhouse, believe me I have not the presumption to suppose-- Indeed I am not so mad--But it is a pleasure to me to admire him at a distance--and to think of his infinite superiority to all the rest of the world, with the gratitude, wonder, and veneration, which are so proper, in me especially"